This is sooo bad of me! I've known Beadyplace for so long and only today I went in to seriously take a look at the things she did!
I must admit I'm not a fan of accessories. Those who know me will know that the only thing I wear daily are my rings on my fingers. :) But when I saw the accessories this bimbo created, I'm tempted! One of the necklace and a bracelet are very simple and pretty. *hint hint* HAHA!
Love the simplicity of the designs. Personally I'd tried beading too, but my clumsy and fat fingers do not allow me to do it right. So i gave up.
This bimbo is a very busy woman, so when she finds time to do her accessories, I'm sure she concentrates 100% and gives good quality stuff. Go check out her blogshop if you're shopping for some gifts for your gfs. :)
Sweet to indulge - the catchy tagline behind Sweet Indulgence, a quaint little cafe that resides along quiet Stanley Street and the venue of choice for our monthly dinner.
Fronted by a pink signboard, Sweet Indulgence's interior is rather small and "cafeish", sitting up to a maximum of 24 pax while the al fresco area can take another 10 or so. The thing that irked me quite a bit was that the air conditioning wasn't cool enough even though it had just rained. Imagine if it was a bright sunny afternoon. On a more positive note, the entire place exuded a nice cosy vibe, setting the tone right for a relaxing after work dinner.
I didn't think too much of the complimentary bread. For starters, it wasn't served warm. Not to mention it was dry and sparse as well. But hey, its free.
I liked the shooter of pear juice - light and sweet. Complimentary as well.
Salad - A simple salad with only freshly cut vegetables. Pity about the overwhelming Italian dressing, which came across as much too strong. A light dressing is always welcomed.
Cream of Broccoli - Salty salty salty. That was the first impression that hit me when I took a sip of the soup. Other then that, nothing else actually registered in my taste buds which was quite sad really.
Garlic Prawns - This dish came as compensation due to the removal of a choice for the main course from our pre agreed list. To be honest, I'm almost glad that happened as the prawns were really quite good. Thought small, they were fresh and crunchy with a hint of pepper. Light yet full of flavour. I would have stuffed myself silly if not for the fact that we had to share a bowl amongst 5 pax.
Poached Salmon with White Sauce & Herbs, served with Pasta and Seasonal Vegetables - I didn't choose this main but had a taste of it. First thoughts, the salmon had none of the overwhelming raw fishy taste that I absolutely abhor. Drizzled with the creamy white sauce, it was actually quite decent. The same can't be said about the pasta though, which was bland and overcooked, as evident by the overly soft texture.
Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Steak with Crisp Skin served with Chef Sauce & Potato Mash infused with Vanilla and Cream - I opted for this as my main and wasn't too bowled over by it. For one, I had expected crackling crispy skin but got none. The meat was tender and tasty though but could have been juicier. As for the mashed potato, I would have preferred it to be smoother. But having said that, I appreciate the creativity behind the infusion of vanilla and cream.
Strawberry Cheesecake - I honestly don't know what to make of this. Sweet Indulgence is known for its desserts but if the cheesecake was anything to go by, I wouldn't buy it whole sale. Aesthetics aside, the cake was moist yet firm but almost tasteless. In fact, it was so forgettable that I didn't remember eating it until I saw my empty plate. And its tiny by the way.
Warm Choco Lava Indulgence - We got this complimentary dessert to share between 4 pax as Sweet Indulgence swapped our agreed upon Tiramisu to the lacklustre Strawberry Cheesecake due to some logistics problem. Billed as a best selling hot favourite, the choco lava cake oozed decadent thick chocolate through a break in the outer crust. Now here's the part that really bugs me. The crust was very kueh like - soft and limp, which meant that the whole thing came crumbling down after we made a hole in the crust. But for something that retails at $8.90, I guess its quite worth it.
The 20 of us chalked up a bill of $671 inclusive of the $11 for corkage. That works out to be $33 per pax which I find pretty reasonable for the amount and quality of food we got (we got a glass of coke each as well). Just for the record, food quality hovers just around the average mark but service and service recovery is quite good. Okay to give it a try if you are in the area. Just don't get your expectations too high.
I chanced upon this printer while shopping at Funan. (I rarely go there you see) The thing that attracted me was their photo book. I'd always wanted to make a professional looking book of photos. (almost similar to coffee table book you see at weddings)
The pricing was pretty steep for the photo book, so I've yet tried getting one. But beside this product, they do namecard printing too. At just $24 for 2 boxes and $30 for 3 boxes, I thought it was quite a good deal (since the last time I printed cost me $35 for 3 boxes). So I went back another day to print my personal namecards.
There were 2 ladies at the counter when I was there. One was quite friendly while the other was quite cold. There were a few people there wanting to get their stuff printed, and all were waiting for the friendly lady to serve them. The other cold one was busy doing her own things behind the counter.
I was supposed to collect my namecard on a Monday as I sent it for print on Tuesday evening. (Usually they take 4 working days to print namecards) But as I had something on Friday, I called them up on Friday to check if my cards were ready. I was very happy to be able to get it earlier than expected.
So I went to collect my cards on Friday, but didn't check the cards properly before I left. When I reached home, I realised that the cards were dirty! It looks like the blade used to cut the cards were not cleaned, and it left ugly and sticky marks on the sides of my cards. About half of the box was damaged. (Pls view photo attached with this review)
Perhaps I'm just one of those unlucky customers who got dirtied namecards. Next time I must check all the cards before I leave the place.
Situated in quite a "secluded" area of Suntec. Very nearly always full when we go there. The place I find it quite cramp with very small walk space. This makes the already noisy place even noisier.
Service crew (those whom I met) are rather friendly and polite. Service is slower comparative to other branches. But perhaps thats because of the crowd. That can be forgiven though its suggested they can more manpower even on weekdays evening. They do clean the tables fast and very well to prepare for the next customers.
Food seems to be better in portion and freshness compared to other branches I've been to. I shall not elaborate on the pricing etc as I think most people would have already known it like the back of their hand? ;D
Read in the papers of this new place to check out along East Coast Road so headed down for lunch one wet afternoon.
Located just off the intersection of Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road, Rose Apple Deli is part of a new breed of eateries which not only sells food, but also sells/exhibits other stuff like clothes, art pieces etc. Other similar eateries that come to mind include Project Shop Blood Brothers Cafe at Paragon. Decor is simple and clean with only about 5 to 6 tables available for dining in customers.
Pan Fried Radish Cake & Yam Cake - Billed as a must try, the yam and radish cakes have supposedly been made by the owners' family for more than 30 years. I must admit, both cakes were quite good, tasty from the use of dried shrimps and not soaked in oil. However, it could have been better. For one, the texture was a little too coarse. Portion size could also have been bigger for $1.20 a piece.
Grandma Rayna's Roast Chicken - Usually the naming of a dish after members of a family is used to conjure up an image of homely comfort food. And truly comfort food it was. The roast chicken was tender, juicy and a tad sweet probably from the honey glaze. But as with the radish & yam cakes, portions were a little small for the price ($10.80).
Gingko Silky Bean - Honestly I didn't quite take to this. The beancurd skin taste was overwhelming and the syrup was bland. But that's just me.
Waffle with Ice Cream - I'm not sure if this was a one off thing, but the waffle had a sour aftertaste which was an instant turnoff. It was quite a size and crispy though but the ice cream tasted rather normal.
The food is decent but prices are a wee bit high. I like the laid back atmosphere and friendly service though, perfect for a lazy afternoon tea.
Rui Kee - A descendant of the now defunct Swee Kee chicken rice stall which was pretty much a household name in the 80s and 90s. Well almost a descendant. Word has it that some relatives of the original Swee Kee came together to set up Rui Kee (Don't quote me on this. Its all hearsay).
Located along North Bridge Road just opposite Famous Islamic Nasi Padang stall, it is but a small shop sandwiched between pubs and whats not, which makes it rather easy to miss.
Rui Kee boasts traditional Hainanese chicken, which is left lying flat after cooking instead of hanging like most places. This is supposedly to retain all the juices and fluids within the chicken instead of letting it drain away. The tried and tested result? A chicken which is much juicier and more succulent than your average one. However it did come across as a little bland without much flavours and not to mention a little fatty under the skin as well. The rice, which had looked promising from the start, was but a shade of good chicken rice. It wasn't as fluffy and tasty as I had expected it to be. But on the upside, it was less oily, which is great for health conscious people. Here comes the winning formula - the chilli which is made from a secret recipe. Although I don't really take chilli, but this was simply great. All of us just couldn't seem to get enough of it. If anything, I'll be back just for the chilli.
Stir fried Kailan - The vegetables were very normal and not worth a mention. But hey, greens are good and make sure you stuff yourself on lots of them.
Dinner with drinks for 3 pax came up to about $25, which is actually breaching the expensive mark. But then again, the chicken is pretty decent and the chilli just gives you that kick so it might be a place to consider revisiting.
Heard of a mini Buddha Jump Over the Wall going for $8.90 with rice, Chinese Tea and dessert? Or perhaps Shark's Fin with steamed egg, rice, tea and dessert going for $5.90? Sounds rather incredulous if you ask me, so it was with much gusto that my colleagues and I sought out the eatery offering such an incredible deal. It wasn't too far from our office, along Circular Road and about a 10 minute walk.
As we got there at about 1205pm, there wasn't much of a crowd to speak of, but by the time we were done, the place was packed to the brim with people, both upstairs and downstairs. A testament as to how good the food is?
I had the Set M, which consisted of Shark's Fin Soup Steamed Egg (Jap style) Rice Chinese Tea - all for a mere $5.90 5% GST. It really seemed too good to be true. Well as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. The Shark's Fin came really small and tasted jelly like instead of stiff like Shark's Fin should. Possibility of imitation Shark's Fin? The steamed egg was way too watery even by Chinese cooking standards, not to mention Japanese style (Chawamushi). I will not even begin to talk about the dessert, which was White Fungus with Red Dates. The syrup was way too starchy and the white fungus was soft and limp when it should have been springy and crunchy. And I've not started being picky yet, or else there would have be more grouses. My take on this one? Don't waste your time. For the quantity and quality of food, I'm better off taking my business elsewhere.
Had lunch with a few of my colleagues at the outlet of Ocean Curry Fish Head along Telok Ayer Street. They have this other outlet along Toa Payoh which packs in the crowds every day.
Fish Head Curry - This was undoubtedly the star attraction which drew us there. Although I don't really take take curry, I couldn't help but appreciate the freshness and sweetness of the fish meat as well as the slightly sourish and appetizing taste of the curry. However, at $26 a pot, its a little pricey.
Stir Fried French Bean - I fancied this dish quite a bit. The beans were fried with dried shrimps and pepper, which gave it a nice slightly salty taste with a tinge of pepper. The beans weren't overcooked or undercooked as well. A great dish!
Sweet and Sour Porkchop - This was normal, but what I liked about it was that unlike normal sweet and sour pork, this cut was different and had little fats in it, making for a healthier eat.
Braised Tofu and Sliced Pork - The Braised Tofu was very normal, to the point that it became forgettable. The Sliced Pork, on the other hand, fared slightly better as the meat was slightly chewy due to the presence of bits of fats and thinly sliced, allowing the flavours to soak in.
Lunch for 6 pax cost $62, inclusive of drinks and rice. A little steep if you ask me, but the food is decent, so you might want to give it a shot.
My family seems to have a penchant for seeking out and dining in the good old restaurants of yester year. Last night was no exception. We set out to find Peng Catering Services & Restaurant which used to be at Lowland Road. With a bit of luck and some research, we found the relocated restaurant hidden amongst the small private estate of Realty Park some few kilometres away. It is easily accessible, but not easily visible unless you look hard enough. The restaurant has been around for more then 20 years and my parents have had fond memories of the food. The owner happens to be an old boy of my primary school.
We got there just after 7 and there were a few families having their dinner in the alfresco area(probably because it rained in the afternoon and it was cooling). We opted to sit indoors and were promptly ushered to an empty table. The interior of the restaurant was quite small with only about 8 tables. The table cloth reminded me of the flowery shower curtains I had when I was a kid. Being greedy, we ordered hotplate tofu with prawns, leather jacket fish with bittergourd, braised goose with tofu, stir fried kailan and topped it off with orh nee - a grand total of 5 dishes for 3 people!
The leather jacket fish with bittergourd was nicely done. The fish was fresh and the gravy was a little spicy. As this is the first time I've eaten this dish, I am not able to give an accurate comparison of it, but I do like it. The gravy for the hotplate tofu with prawns had this slightly smoked taste which I fancy, just that it was a little too salty. The prawns were HUGE, fresh and crunchy, but the tofu was just average. The stir fried kailan looked revitalised with its fresh shade of green, but imagine my dismay when it tasted like a slightly saltier version of the stir fried kailan available at your typical cooked food stall.
A good test of any teochew restaurant would be its braised goose and Orh Nee (To me at least) The braised goose came in a little silver platter and had chopped parsley and sesame seeds sprinkled on top to give it a nice aroma. However, it was just slightly above average, paling in comparison to the one I had at Guan Hin. The meat was thinly sliced, but didn't have much taste. It was also a little too fatty for my liking and the sesame seeds gave it a slightly weird sensation. The Orh Nee came in a small bowl with lots of coconut milk. I had expected the coconut milk to be drizzled onto the Orh Nee, not for the Orh Nee to be literally drowned in it. The paste was a little rough, unlike the smooth goodness I had at Guan Hin. Nevertheless, some credit is due here as the serving of Orh Nee is reasonably big and its not as sweet as some of the other Orh Nee that I have eaten.
It didn't cost us an arm or a leg for our dinner and surprisingly, we managed to polish off all the dishes without too much difficulty. The bill came up to about $58, which was pretty reasonable, considering the quantity and quality of food we had ordered. No service charge is also a plus. Food in general is slightly above average. Try it out if you like value for money food and a homely environment to boot. We will be going back soon to try the other stuff that Peng has to offer(we particularly like the sound of the premium shark's fin soup which must be pre ordered)
The coffeeshops under the solitary block of flats in the Sin Ming Industrial Estate could have easily been passed off as just another neighbourhood coffeeshop that probably sold average food. But that is certainly not the case, for in the corner coffeeshop lies Hup Seng Duck Rice. Hup Seng's claim to fame is its Kiam Chye Arh, or Salted Vegetable Chicken and Braised Duck.
The Kiam Chye Arh was pretty good, but I found the soup a little too salty due to the excessive amounts of Kiam Chye in it. The duck itself was a little chewy and firm, which evidently showed that it was cooked just right. The strong fowl taste was rather evident though , which might be a turn off for some. One of the better Kiam Chye Arh I have eaten, but I prefer the lighter and not so salty version prepared by my grandmother ;)
As with the Kiam Chye Arh, the Braised Duck was firm and chewy, with a rougher texture to boot. The duck was rather lean and the soy gravy was fragrant yet subtle in taste with a herbal tinge. Pity about the excessive oil in the gravy though. The secret to his fragrant and tasty gravy? Not changing the gravy since day one. Water and herbs are replenished with each duck he cooks and the pot is sealed and locked every evening. Multiply that by 25 years. Ewwww. I wish I didn't know.
This is sooo bad of me! I've known Beadyplace for so long and only today I went in to seriously take a look at the things she did!
I must admit I'm not a fan of accessories. Those who know me will know that the only thing I wear daily are my rings on my fingers. :) But when I saw the accessories this bimbo created, I'm tempted! One of the necklace and a bracelet are very simple and pretty. *hint hint* HAHA!
Love the simplicity of the designs. Personally I'd tried beading too, but my clumsy and fat fingers do not allow me to do it right. So i gave up.
This bimbo is a very busy woman, so when she finds time to do her accessories, I'm sure she concentrates 100% and gives good quality stuff. Go check out her blogshop if you're shopping for some gifts for your gfs. :)
Rating given:
Sweet to indulge - the catchy tagline behind Sweet Indulgence, a quaint little cafe that resides along quiet Stanley Street and the venue of choice for our monthly dinner.
Fronted by a pink signboard, Sweet Indulgence's interior is rather small and "cafeish", sitting up to a maximum of 24 pax while the al fresco area can take another 10 or so. The thing that irked me quite a bit was that the air conditioning wasn't cool enough even though it had just rained. Imagine if it was a bright sunny afternoon. On a more positive note, the entire place exuded a nice cosy vibe, setting the tone right for a relaxing after work dinner.
I didn't think too much of the complimentary bread. For starters, it wasn't served warm. Not to mention it was dry and sparse as well. But hey, its free.
I liked the shooter of pear juice - light and sweet. Complimentary as well.
Salad - A simple salad with only freshly cut vegetables. Pity about the overwhelming Italian dressing, which came across as much too strong. A light dressing is always welcomed.
Cream of Broccoli - Salty salty salty. That was the first impression that hit me when I took a sip of the soup. Other then that, nothing else actually registered in my taste buds which was quite sad really.
Garlic Prawns - This dish came as compensation due to the removal of a choice for the main course from our pre agreed list. To be honest, I'm almost glad that happened as the prawns were really quite good. Thought small, they were fresh and crunchy with a hint of pepper. Light yet full of flavour. I would have stuffed myself silly if not for the fact that we had to share a bowl amongst 5 pax.
Poached Salmon with White Sauce & Herbs, served with Pasta and Seasonal Vegetables - I didn't choose this main but had a taste of it. First thoughts, the salmon had none of the overwhelming raw fishy taste that I absolutely abhor. Drizzled with the creamy white sauce, it was actually quite decent. The same can't be said about the pasta though, which was bland and overcooked, as evident by the overly soft texture.
Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Steak with Crisp Skin served with Chef Sauce & Potato Mash infused with Vanilla and Cream - I opted for this as my main and wasn't too bowled over by it. For one, I had expected crackling crispy skin but got none. The meat was tender and tasty though but could have been juicier. As for the mashed potato, I would have preferred it to be smoother. But having said that, I appreciate the creativity behind the infusion of vanilla and cream.
Strawberry Cheesecake - I honestly don't know what to make of this. Sweet Indulgence is known for its desserts but if the cheesecake was anything to go by, I wouldn't buy it whole sale. Aesthetics aside, the cake was moist yet firm but almost tasteless. In fact, it was so forgettable that I didn't remember eating it until I saw my empty plate. And its tiny by the way.
Warm Choco Lava Indulgence - We got this complimentary dessert to share between 4 pax as Sweet Indulgence swapped our agreed upon Tiramisu to the lacklustre Strawberry Cheesecake due to some logistics problem. Billed as a best selling hot favourite, the choco lava cake oozed decadent thick chocolate through a break in the outer crust. Now here's the part that really bugs me. The crust was very kueh like - soft and limp, which meant that the whole thing came crumbling down after we made a hole in the crust. But for something that retails at $8.90, I guess its quite worth it.
The 20 of us chalked up a bill of $671 inclusive of the $11 for corkage. That works out to be $33 per pax which I find pretty reasonable for the amount and quality of food we got (we got a glass of coke each as well). Just for the record, food quality hovers just around the average mark but service and service recovery is quite good. Okay to give it a try if you are in the area. Just don't get your expectations too high.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Good service. But not so good product.
I chanced upon this printer while shopping at Funan. (I rarely go there you see) The thing that attracted me was their photo book. I'd always wanted to make a professional looking book of photos. (almost similar to coffee table book you see at weddings)
The pricing was pretty steep for the photo book, so I've yet tried getting one. But beside this product, they do namecard printing too. At just $24 for 2 boxes and $30 for 3 boxes, I thought it was quite a good deal (since the last time I printed cost me $35 for 3 boxes). So I went back another day to print my personal namecards.
There were 2 ladies at the counter when I was there. One was quite friendly while the other was quite cold. There were a few people there wanting to get their stuff printed, and all were waiting for the friendly lady to serve them. The other cold one was busy doing her own things behind the counter.
I was supposed to collect my namecard on a Monday as I sent it for print on Tuesday evening. (Usually they take 4 working days to print namecards) But as I had something on Friday, I called them up on Friday to check if my cards were ready. I was very happy to be able to get it earlier than expected.
So I went to collect my cards on Friday, but didn't check the cards properly before I left. When I reached home, I realised that the cards were dirty! It looks like the blade used to cut the cards were not cleaned, and it left ugly and sticky marks on the sides of my cards. About half of the box was damaged. (Pls view photo attached with this review)
Perhaps I'm just one of those unlucky customers who got dirtied namecards. Next time I must check all the cards before I leave the place.
Rating given:
Situated in quite a "secluded" area of Suntec. Very nearly always full when we go there. The place I find it quite cramp with very small walk space. This makes the already noisy place even noisier.
Service crew (those whom I met) are rather friendly and polite. Service is slower comparative to other branches. But perhaps thats because of the crowd. That can be forgiven though its suggested they can more manpower even on weekdays evening. They do clean the tables fast and very well to prepare for the next customers.
Food seems to be better in portion and freshness compared to other branches I've been to. I shall not elaborate on the pricing etc as I think most people would have already known it like the back of their hand? ;D
Rating given:
Read in the papers of this new place to check out along East Coast Road so headed down for lunch one wet afternoon.
Located just off the intersection of Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road, Rose Apple Deli is part of a new breed of eateries which not only sells food, but also sells/exhibits other stuff like clothes, art pieces etc. Other similar eateries that come to mind include Project Shop Blood Brothers Cafe at Paragon. Decor is simple and clean with only about 5 to 6 tables available for dining in customers.
Pan Fried Radish Cake & Yam Cake - Billed as a must try, the yam and radish cakes have supposedly been made by the owners' family for more than 30 years. I must admit, both cakes were quite good, tasty from the use of dried shrimps and not soaked in oil. However, it could have been better. For one, the texture was a little too coarse. Portion size could also have been bigger for $1.20 a piece.
Grandma Rayna's Roast Chicken - Usually the naming of a dish after members of a family is used to conjure up an image of homely comfort food. And truly comfort food it was. The roast chicken was tender, juicy and a tad sweet probably from the honey glaze. But as with the radish & yam cakes, portions were a little small for the price ($10.80).
Gingko Silky Bean - Honestly I didn't quite take to this. The beancurd skin taste was overwhelming and the syrup was bland. But that's just me.
Waffle with Ice Cream - I'm not sure if this was a one off thing, but the waffle had a sour aftertaste which was an instant turnoff. It was quite a size and crispy though but the ice cream tasted rather normal.
The food is decent but prices are a wee bit high. I like the laid back atmosphere and friendly service though, perfect for a lazy afternoon tea.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Rui Kee - A descendant of the now defunct Swee Kee chicken rice stall which was pretty much a household name in the 80s and 90s. Well almost a descendant. Word has it that some relatives of the original Swee Kee came together to set up Rui Kee (Don't quote me on this. Its all hearsay).
Located along North Bridge Road just opposite Famous Islamic Nasi Padang stall, it is but a small shop sandwiched between pubs and whats not, which makes it rather easy to miss.
Rui Kee boasts traditional Hainanese chicken, which is left lying flat after cooking instead of hanging like most places. This is supposedly to retain all the juices and fluids within the chicken instead of letting it drain away. The tried and tested result? A chicken which is much juicier and more succulent than your average one. However it did come across as a little bland without much flavours and not to mention a little fatty under the skin as well. The rice, which had looked promising from the start, was but a shade of good chicken rice. It wasn't as fluffy and tasty as I had expected it to be. But on the upside, it was less oily, which is great for health conscious people. Here comes the winning formula - the chilli which is made from a secret recipe. Although I don't really take chilli, but this was simply great. All of us just couldn't seem to get enough of it. If anything, I'll be back just for the chilli.
Stir fried Kailan - The vegetables were very normal and not worth a mention. But hey, greens are good and make sure you stuff yourself on lots of them.
Dinner with drinks for 3 pax came up to about $25, which is actually breaching the expensive mark. But then again, the chicken is pretty decent and the chilli just gives you that kick so it might be a place to consider revisiting.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Heard of a mini Buddha Jump Over the Wall going for $8.90 with rice, Chinese Tea and dessert? Or perhaps Shark's Fin with steamed egg, rice, tea and dessert going for $5.90? Sounds rather incredulous if you ask me, so it was with much gusto that my colleagues and I sought out the eatery offering such an incredible deal. It wasn't too far from our office, along Circular Road and about a 10 minute walk.
As we got there at about 1205pm, there wasn't much of a crowd to speak of, but by the time we were done, the place was packed to the brim with people, both upstairs and downstairs. A testament as to how good the food is?
I had the Set M, which consisted of Shark's Fin Soup Steamed Egg (Jap style) Rice Chinese Tea - all for a mere $5.90 5% GST. It really seemed too good to be true. Well as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. The Shark's Fin came really small and tasted jelly like instead of stiff like Shark's Fin should. Possibility of imitation Shark's Fin? The steamed egg was way too watery even by Chinese cooking standards, not to mention Japanese style (Chawamushi). I will not even begin to talk about the dessert, which was White Fungus with Red Dates. The syrup was way too starchy and the white fungus was soft and limp when it should have been springy and crunchy. And I've not started being picky yet, or else there would have be more grouses. My take on this one? Don't waste your time. For the quantity and quality of food, I'm better off taking my business elsewhere.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Had lunch with a few of my colleagues at the outlet of Ocean Curry Fish Head along Telok Ayer Street. They have this other outlet along Toa Payoh which packs in the crowds every day.
Fish Head Curry - This was undoubtedly the star attraction which drew us there. Although I don't really take take curry, I couldn't help but appreciate the freshness and sweetness of the fish meat as well as the slightly sourish and appetizing taste of the curry. However, at $26 a pot, its a little pricey.
Stir Fried French Bean - I fancied this dish quite a bit. The beans were fried with dried shrimps and pepper, which gave it a nice slightly salty taste with a tinge of pepper. The beans weren't overcooked or undercooked as well. A great dish!
Sweet and Sour Porkchop - This was normal, but what I liked about it was that unlike normal sweet and sour pork, this cut was different and had little fats in it, making for a healthier eat.
Braised Tofu and Sliced Pork - The Braised Tofu was very normal, to the point that it became forgettable. The Sliced Pork, on the other hand, fared slightly better as the meat was slightly chewy due to the presence of bits of fats and thinly sliced, allowing the flavours to soak in.
Lunch for 6 pax cost $62, inclusive of drinks and rice. A little steep if you ask me, but the food is decent, so you might want to give it a shot.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
My family seems to have a penchant for seeking out and dining in the good old restaurants of yester year. Last night was no exception. We set out to find Peng Catering Services & Restaurant which used to be at Lowland Road. With a bit of luck and some research, we found the relocated restaurant hidden amongst the small private estate of Realty Park some few kilometres away. It is easily accessible, but not easily visible unless you look hard enough. The restaurant has been around for more then 20 years and my parents have had fond memories of the food. The owner happens to be an old boy of my primary school.
We got there just after 7 and there were a few families having their dinner in the alfresco area(probably because it rained in the afternoon and it was cooling). We opted to sit indoors and were promptly ushered to an empty table. The interior of the restaurant was quite small with only about 8 tables. The table cloth reminded me of the flowery shower curtains I had when I was a kid. Being greedy, we ordered hotplate tofu with prawns, leather jacket fish with bittergourd, braised goose with tofu, stir fried kailan and topped it off with orh nee - a grand total of 5 dishes for 3 people!
The leather jacket fish with bittergourd was nicely done. The fish was fresh and the gravy was a little spicy. As this is the first time I've eaten this dish, I am not able to give an accurate comparison of it, but I do like it. The gravy for the hotplate tofu with prawns had this slightly smoked taste which I fancy, just that it was a little too salty. The prawns were HUGE, fresh and crunchy, but the tofu was just average. The stir fried kailan looked revitalised with its fresh shade of green, but imagine my dismay when it tasted like a slightly saltier version of the stir fried kailan available at your typical cooked food stall.
A good test of any teochew restaurant would be its braised goose and Orh Nee (To me at least) The braised goose came in a little silver platter and had chopped parsley and sesame seeds sprinkled on top to give it a nice aroma. However, it was just slightly above average, paling in comparison to the one I had at Guan Hin. The meat was thinly sliced, but didn't have much taste. It was also a little too fatty for my liking and the sesame seeds gave it a slightly weird sensation. The Orh Nee came in a small bowl with lots of coconut milk. I had expected the coconut milk to be drizzled onto the Orh Nee, not for the Orh Nee to be literally drowned in it. The paste was a little rough, unlike the smooth goodness I had at Guan Hin. Nevertheless, some credit is due here as the serving of Orh Nee is reasonably big and its not as sweet as some of the other Orh Nee that I have eaten.
It didn't cost us an arm or a leg for our dinner and surprisingly, we managed to polish off all the dishes without too much difficulty. The bill came up to about $58, which was pretty reasonable, considering the quantity and quality of food we had ordered. No service charge is also a plus. Food in general is slightly above average. Try it out if you like value for money food and a homely environment to boot. We will be going back soon to try the other stuff that Peng has to offer(we particularly like the sound of the premium shark's fin soup which must be pre ordered)
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
The coffeeshops under the solitary block of flats in the Sin Ming Industrial Estate could have easily been passed off as just another neighbourhood coffeeshop that probably sold average food. But that is certainly not the case, for in the corner coffeeshop lies Hup Seng Duck Rice. Hup Seng's claim to fame is its Kiam Chye Arh, or Salted Vegetable Chicken and Braised Duck.
The Kiam Chye Arh was pretty good, but I found the soup a little too salty due to the excessive amounts of Kiam Chye in it. The duck itself was a little chewy and firm, which evidently showed that it was cooked just right. The strong fowl taste was rather evident though , which might be a turn off for some. One of the better Kiam Chye Arh I have eaten, but I prefer the lighter and not so salty version prepared by my grandmother ;)
As with the Kiam Chye Arh, the Braised Duck was firm and chewy, with a rougher texture to boot. The duck was rather lean and the soy gravy was fragrant yet subtle in taste with a herbal tinge. Pity about the excessive oil in the gravy though. The secret to his fragrant and tasty gravy? Not changing the gravy since day one. Water and herbs are replenished with each duck he cooks and the pot is sealed and locked every evening. Multiply that by 25 years. Ewwww. I wish I didn't know.
See all my pictures
Rating given: